Ad
State health officials announced Tuesday that the measles outbreak has reached Santa Fe County, the seventh county in New Mexico to record a confirmed case among its residents.
The New Mexico Department of Health said in a news release that a child under the age of 10 contracted the virus while on an international trip to an undisclosed location. The child was not vaccinated.
DOH warned that there may have been an exposure risk for anyone who was at Cliff’s Amusement Park in Albuquerque on July 17 between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. It is unknown what vendors or rides the child visited.
“Given that they were there for a full day indicates that they probably went on a lot of rides,” said Robert Nott, public information officer for NMDOH.
Statewide, this brings the total number of children between ages 5 and 17 with the disease to 20. The total number of measles cases in New Mexico is 96.
“Every new case, including those that are a result of travel elsewhere, is a reminder measles is a highly contagious virus,” said Dr. Miranda Durham, chief medical officer for NMDOH. “Thankfully, New Mexicans are responding to the call to get a measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, the best defense against measles.”
Since the measles outbreak, there has been a spike in vaccinations for the disease. Since Feb. 1, 43,440 doses of the MMR vaccination have been administered statewide, doubling the total number of vaccinations administered the previous year.
Measles symptoms begin with a cough, runny nose and red eyes before progressing to a fever and rash.
People remain infectious for about eight days, from four days before the onset of the rash until four days after. If you have those symptoms, call ahead to a medical provider before showing up at the office, Durham said.
